Premier League Predictions and FPL tips – Gameweek 8

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Premier League Predictions and FPL tips – Gameweek 8

It’s a huge weekend in the Premier League as the two leading title rivals go head-to-head.

Here’s our take on this week’s action – with our Fantasy tips and Premier League predictions…

Friday’s game

Brighton vs West Ham, 8.00pm

The Seagulls head into a favourable run of games following their tough start to the season, but won’t find life easy against a West Ham side high on confidence.

Brighton won both fixtures against the Hammers last season and need a strong performance on home soil to offset their poor away record.

Safe pick Glenn Murray, Brighton, £6.5mValue pick Declan Rice, West Ham, £4.4mFantasy Football Analyst prediction: A tough one to call, with Chris Hughton’s side often tough to beat at the Amex against a West Ham side starting to hit their stride. The Seagulls have had two 2-2 draws this season, and this match could follow a similar pattern.

Saturday’s games

3.00pm games

Burnley vs Huddersfield

The crisis looks over at Turf Moor, with Sean Dyche’s starting to resemble the side that finished in the European places last season in recent weeks.

On the flipside, David Wagner’s Terriers side look devoid of confidence but will see this game as one of their few realistic opportunities to snatch some surprise away points.

Safe pick Johann Berg Gudmundsson, Burnley, £5.9mValue pick Philip Billing, Huddersfield, £4.5mFantasy Football Analyst prediction: Burnley to battle to victory over a Terriers side who can organise themselves well without offering any major threat to trouble teams on the road.

Crystal Palace vs Wolves

Nuno Espírito Santo’s side have taken to the Premier League like a duck to water, but losing the tag of underdogs can bring its own problems as expectation levels rise.

A trip to Selhurst Park will be a significant test of their credentials – particularly with the Eagles still looking to get off the mark on home soil.

Safe pick Wilfried Zaha, Crystal Palace, £7.0mValue pick Ryan Bennett, Wolves, £4.1mFantasy Football Analyst prediction: Palace to edge to victory to calm some of the hype currently building around the Premier League new boys.

Leicester City vs Everton

Could this be the most mid-table game in Premier League history? Two sides likely to be comfortably halfway this season meet at the King Power with the home side so far showing more promise in their bid to be the best of the rest.

Everton will be hoping last week’s 3-0 victory over Fulham is a sign they have turned the corner.

Safe pick Jamie Vardy, Leicester City, £8.9mValue pick Michael Keane, Everton, £4.9mFantasy Football Analyst prediction: The Foxes look a tough nut to crack at home. Everton’s search for a consistent run of form might have to wait a little longer.

Spurs vs Cardiff City

Life doesn’t get any easier for Neil Warnock’s side as they make the trip to Wembley in the wake of a disappointing 2-1 reverse at home to Burnley. A depleted Spurs side gives the Bluebirds a glimmer of hope.

Watford vs Bournemouth

Two of the team’s surprise early pacesetters meet at Vicarage Road, with the away side currently boasting the better form. The Cherries can blow hot and cold on the road, so Javi Gracia will see this as an ideal opportunity to get his Hornets side back on track.

Safe pick Will Hughes, Watford, £5.0mValue pick Adam Smith, Bournemouth, £4.5mFantasy Football Analyst prediction: Bournemouth will always keep any side on its toes, but Watford to bounce back following three without a win.

Man Utd vs Newcastle, 5.30pm

Two sides bang out of form meet at Old Trafford on Saturday night, as old rivals José Mourinho and Rafa Benitez go head-to-head looking to change the narrative currently circling around their respective teams.

Mourinho has shown his side can ride out the storm at times this season (Burnley, Watford) and a game against a Magpies side offering minimal threat may have come at just the right moment.

Fulham vs Arsenal, 12pm

An interesting early kick-off awaits on Sunday as Arsenal make the short journey to Craven Cottage on the back of an impressive winning run. This is the sort of game they would have lost under Arsene Wenger, but Emery has made them a tougher proposition on the road. Will that continue against a Fulham side starting to look over their shoulder a little?

Safe pick Alexandre Lacazette, Arsenal, £9.5mValue pick André Schürrle, Fulham, £5.9mFantasy Football Analyst prediction: Another win for an Arsenal side that are quietly going about their business somewhat unnoticed under Emery.

Southampton vs Chelsea, 2.15pm

Mark Hughes welcomes his former club to St Mary’s knowing a win could help kickstart a lacklustre start to Saints’ season. Chelsea laboured to victory over Hungarian champions Vidi in midweek but should be sharper on Sunday with Eden Hazard likely to return to the starting line-up.

Safe pick Eden Hazard, Chelsea, £11.2mValue pick Ryan Bertrand, Southampton, £4.9mFantasy Football Analyst prediction: A comfortable away victory for Chelsea against a Saints side struggling to find any kind of form in the Premier League.

Liverpool vs Man City, 4.30pm

The game of the season so far – but can Pep Guardiola’s side take advantage of a Liverpool side suffering a slight blip in form at just the wrong moment? City also have a point to prove after the Champions League meetings between the two sides last season.

Safe pick Raheem Sterling, Man City, £11.1mValue pick Trent Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool, £5.1mFantasy Football Analyst prediction: It’ll be a close-run thing, but City to snatch a narrow win and take command in the title race.